第8节:致命的密码(1)

致命的密码

1

奥古斯都·S.F.X.凡杜森教授,又名思考机器,第三次读着眼前的一封信。信纸在桌上展开,他的眼睛眯成一线,从厚厚的镜片后望出来。那个把信拿给他的年轻女孩,伊丽莎白·德文小姐,耐心地坐在思考机器家中小接待室的沙发上等着。她天蓝色的眼睛睁得大大的,紧盯着眼前这位能帮她解决天大难题的科学家。

信上写着:

To those Concerned Tired of it all I seek the end, and am content. Ambition now is dead; the grave yawns greedily at my feet, and with the labor of my own hands lost I greet death of my own will, by my own act. To my son I leave all, and you who maligned me, you who discouraged me, you may read this and know I punish you thus. It"s for him, my son, to forgive. I dared in life and dare dead your everlasting anger, not alone that you didn"t speak but that you cherished secret, and my ears are locked forever against you. My vault is my resting place. On the brightest and dearest page of life I wrote (7) my love for him. Family ties, binding as the Bible itself, bade me give all to my son. Good-bye. I die.

OMEROY STOCKTON①

"德文小姐,你是怎么拿到这封信的?"思考机器问,"告诉我全部经过,一个字都别遗漏。" 科学家坐回他的大椅子,长着一头黄发的大脑袋舒适地倚在靠垫上,十只细长的手指指尖相触,对他面前访客的美貌视若无睹。这位举世闻名的思考机器在科学界享有盛誉,同时他对离奇的案件也有着特殊的兴趣。也许对他来说,集中精力将线索连缀在一起解 ①译文如下: 敬启者:我身心俱疲,寻求解脱,心甘情愿。如今我雄心已灭,脚下的坟墓已张开血盆大口,而我凭借迷途的双手,以自己的意志和行动向死亡致意。我将一切皆留予爱子。那些曾经恶意诋毁我、打击我的人啊,看了这封信便可知我借此惩罚你们。至于原谅你们与否,就让爱子去决定吧。我向来无所惧,尤其不把你们无止境的愤怒放在眼里,你们非但不说出秘密,还珍惜秘密。那我就把双耳永远掩上来反抗你们。墓地将是我的安息之地。我在此生最闪耀也最挚爱的一页写下(7)我对他的爱。亲情的约束力一如《圣经》,敦促我将一切留给我儿。再会。我走了。

波默罗伊·斯托克顿 开谜题,是一种休息放松的好方法。

德文小姐声音柔和,叙述时还偶尔穿插着啜泣声。她的脸色发红,戴着精致手套的玉手攥起拳头,又松开。

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